The Death of Samuel
1 Samuel died, and all the Israelites came together and mourned for him. Then they buried him at his home in Ramah.
David and Abigail
After this, David went to the wilderness of Paran. 2-3 There was a man of the clan of Caleb named Nabal, who was from the town of Maon, and who owned land near the town of Carmel. He was a very rich man, the owner of three thousand sheep and one thousand goats. His wife Abigail was beautiful and intelligent, but he was a mean, bad-tempered man.
Nabal was shearing his sheep in Carmel, 4 and David, who was in the wilderness, heard about it, 5 so he sent ten young men with orders to go to Carmel, find Nabal, and give him his greetings. 6 He instructed them to say to Nabal: “David sends you greetings, my friend, with his best wishes for you, your family, and all that is yours. 7 He heard that you were shearing your sheep, and he wants you to know that your shepherds have been with us and we did not harm them. Nothing that belonged to them was stolen all the time they were at Carmel. 8 Just ask them, and they will tell you. We have come on a feast day, and David asks you to receive us kindly. Please give what you can to us your servants and to your dear friend David.”
9 David's men delivered this message to Nabal in David's name. Then they waited there, 10 and Nabal finally answered, “David? Who is he? I've never heard of him! The country is full of runaway slaves nowadays! 11 I'm not going to take my bread and water, and the animals I have butchered for my sheepshearers, and give them to people who come from I don't know where!”
12 David's men went back to him and told him what Nabal had said. 13 “Buckle on your swords!” he ordered, and they all did. David also buckled on his sword and left with about four hundred of his men, leaving two hundred behind with the supplies.
14 One of Nabal's servants said to Nabal's wife Abigail, “Have you heard? David sent some messengers from the wilderness with greetings for our master, but he insulted them. 15 Yet they were very good to us; they never bothered us, and all the time we were with them in the fields, nothing that belonged to us was stolen. 16 They protected us day and night the whole time we were with them looking after our flocks. 17 Please think this over and decide what to do. This could be disastrous for our master and all his family. He is so mean that he won't listen to anybody!”
18 Abigail quickly gathered two hundred loaves of bread, two leather bags full of wine, five roasted sheep, two bushels of roasted grain, a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred cakes of dried figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 Then she said to the servants, “You go on ahead and I will follow you.” But she said nothing to her husband.
20 She was riding her donkey around a bend on a hillside when suddenly she met David and his men coming toward her. 21 David had been thinking, “Why did I ever protect that fellow's property out here in the wilderness? Not a thing that belonged to him was stolen, and this is how he pays me back for the help I gave him! 22 May God strike me dead if I don't kill every last one of those men before morning!”
23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly dismounted and threw herself on the ground 24 at David's feet, and said to him, “Please, sir, listen to me! Let me take the blame. 25 Please, don't pay any attention to Nabal, that good-for-nothing! He is exactly what his name means—a fool! I wasn't there when your servants arrived, sir. 26 It is the Lord who has kept you from taking revenge and killing your enemies. And now I swear to you by the living Lord that your enemies and all who want to harm you will be punished like Nabal. 27 Please, sir, accept this present I have brought you, and give it to your men. 28 Please forgive me, sir, for any wrong I have done. The Lord will make you king, and your descendants also, because you are fighting his battles; and you will not do anything evil as long as you live. 29 If anyone should attack you and try to kill you, the Lord your God will keep you safe, as someone guards a precious treasure. As for your enemies, however, he will throw them away, as someone hurls stones with a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done all the good things he has promised you and has made you king of Israel, 31 then you will not have to feel regret or remorse, sir, for having killed without cause or for having taken your own revenge. And when the Lord has blessed you, sir, please do not forget me.”
32 David said to her, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me! 33 Thank God for your good sense and for what you have done today in keeping me from the crime of murder and from taking my own revenge. 34 The Lord has kept me from harming you. But I swear by the living God of Israel that if you had not hurried to meet me, all of Nabal's men would have been dead by morning!” 35 Then David accepted what she had brought him and said to her, “Go back home and don't worry. I will do what you want.”
36 Abigail went back to Nabal, who was at home having a feast fit for a king. He was drunk and in a good mood, so she did not tell him anything until the next morning. 37 Then, after he had sobered up, she told him everything. He suffered a stroke and was completely paralyzed. 38 Some ten days later the Lord struck Nabal and he died.
39 When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, “Praise the Lord! He has taken revenge on Nabal for insulting me and has kept me his servant from doing wrong. The Lord has punished Nabal for his evil.”
Then David sent a proposal of marriage to Abigail. 40 His servants went to her at Carmel and said to her, “David sent us to take you to him to be his wife.”
41 Abigail bowed down to the ground and said, “I am his servant, ready to wash the feet of his servants.” 42 She rose quickly and mounted her donkey. Accompanied by her five maids, she went with David's servants and became his wife.
43 David had married Ahinoam from Jezreel, and now Abigail also became his wife. 44 Meanwhile, Saul had given his daughter Michal, who had been David's wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was from the town of Gallim.
Onḓiro ya Samuel
1 Samuel wa koka, nOvaisrael avehe va worongana ave mu tjitire omutambo. Tjazumba otji ve mu paka monganda ye mOrama. Kombunda yanao David wa sekama na i mokuti onguza Paran.
Ovitjitwa vya David kooNabal na Abigail
2 Nu pa ri omurumendu motjihuro Maon. Eye wa ri norutumbo orunene mOkarmel, okutja ozonḓu omayovi yetatu, nozongombo eyovi rimwe. Noruveze ndo aa hora ozonḓu ze mOkarmel. 3 Ena romurumendu ngwi ra ri Nabal, nomukazendu we wa ri Abigail; omukazendu ngwi wa ri nozondunge ozombwa, nu wa ri omuwa tjinene mombunikiro, nungwari omurumendu we wa ri omuhinotjikaro notjindandi, nu wa ri Omukaleb.
4 David tja zuvira mokuti onguza kutja Nabal ma hora ozonḓu ze mOkarmel, 5 arire tja hindi ovazandu omitanda omurongo ne ve raere nai: “Twendeye kOkarmel, nu tji mwe ya pu Nabal mu minikirireye, 6 nu katjeye nai komukwetu: ‘Ohange kove na keṱunḓu roye, na ku avihe mbi u na vyo. 7 Ami mba zuva kutja mo hora ozonḓu zoye. Novarise woye va kara puna eṱe; neṱe katu ve tjitire otjipo, nu wina kave notjiṋa tji va zengisa oruveze aruhe ndu va kara mOkarmel. 8 Pura kovakarere woye, nowo mave ku raere kutja pa ri nao. Novazandu omitanda mba ngave mune ondjingonekero momeho woye, eṱe tjinga atwe ya meyuva rondjoroka; yandja ngamwa atjihe tji u na tjo kovakarere voye na komukweṋu David.’ ”
9 Ovarumendu omitanda va David va yandja ombuze ndji ku Nabal mena ra David; tjazumba ave mwina ave undju. 10 Nu Nabal wa zira kovakarere va David a tja: “Nomuzandu wa Isai owaṋi? Momayuva nga pe novakarere ovengi mbe hena kovahona vawo nu mbe ryanga uriri. 11 Me sokutoora vi ovikurya nomeva, nonyama ndji mba zepera ovahore vandje, ne vi yandja kovandu mbu mbi hi nokutjiwa kutja va zira pi?”
12 Novarumendu omitanda va David otji va yaruka nave kemu raera avihe Nabal mbya hungira. 13 David arire tja rakiza ovakarere ve: “Auhe nge rivarange nekwamo nengaruvyo re!” Nu avehe va tjita nao. David wina we rivaranga nekwamo nengaruvyo re, na i puna ovarumendu ve mangara omasere yane, omasere yevari ngunda ava sewa pomitwaro.
14 Nu umwe wovakarere va Nabal wa serekarera nai Abigail, omukazendu wa Nabal: “Tara, David wa hinda ovatumwa okuza mokuti onguza okueta ombinika komuhona wetu. Nungwari Nabal we mu yamburura. 15 Nu vari ovarumendu mba va kara nawa tjinene puna eṱe. Owo kave tjitire okaṋa okavi ku eṱe, neṱe katu varurire otjiṋa tjimwe moruveze aruhe ndu twa kara pamwe mokuti. 16 Owo ve tu yama omutenya nouṱuku, oruveze aruhe ndu twa ri puna wo tjaa tu ṱakamisa ozonyanda zetu. 17 Nambano ripura nu u konḓonone nawa kutja movanga okutjita tjike; omuhona wetu neṱunḓu re arihe, tjiri, ma yenderwa i otjiwonga. Eye omuini omurumendu omuhinatjikaro ngu ha puratene komundu.”
18 Abigail wa hakahana na toora ozomboroto ozombomba omasere yevari, nozondjaṱu mbari zomikova zomavinu, nonyama yozonḓu ndano ndja terekwa ombomba, novikokotwa vyozokirograma omurongo na hambombari mbya ngarurwa, nomavanda esere rimwe womandjembere, nomavanda omasere yevari womakuyu, nu avihe mbi we vi kutira kousino. 19 Nu Abigail wa tja nai kovakarere ve: “Kayendeye komurungu wandje; nu tareye, ami me mu kongorere tjimanga.” Nungwari ka tjivisire okaṋa nangarire kemwe komurumendu we Nabal.
20 Nu Abigail ngunda a kavire kokasino ama raukire orupoko rondundu, kamanga David novarumendu ve otji ve mu tjakanena. 21 Nu David ee ripura nai mu ye omuini: “Tjiri, mba tjevera orutumbo romurumendu ngo omungandjo mokuti onguza, nga tji pe ha pandjarere okaṋa kemwe; nungwari eye we ndji tjita ouvi moruveze rouwa. 22 Ndjambi nge ndji koze, tji mbi ha zepere ovarumendu mbo avehe, ngunda ape hiya tja.”
23 Abigail tja muna David, wa heruka tjimanga kokasino ke, a u onḓurumika komurungu we e rikotamene ku ye, 24 na tja: “Muhona wandje, ami owami ngu mbi nondjo! Arikana yandjera omukarere woye omukazendu okuhungira, nu u puratene komambo we. 25 Arikana, muhona wandje, o ningi ko na tja na Nabal, ingwi omuhinatjikaro. Eye u ri otja indi ena re pu mari hee ‘Eyova,’ nu u tjita omauyova porwe. Nungwari ami, omukarere woye omukazendu, hi mwine ovakarere vomuhona wandje, mba hinda. 26 Nu nambano, muhona wandje, tjiri, tjimbe tja Muhona omunamuinyo na ove omuini, Muhona ongwe ku tjaera kutja o he risutisire, no ha zepa ovanavita na ove, nu avehe mbe ripura okutjita ouvi kove otjinga amave verwa otja Nabal. 27 Nu nambano, oviyandjewa mbi omukarere woye omukazendu mbya eterere omuhona we, ngavi yandjewe kovarumendu omitanda mbe kongorera omuhona wandje kovita. 28 Arikana, isira omukarere woye omukazendu ozondataiziro ze azehe; orondu Muhona, tjiri, ma ziki omuhona wandje okurira ombara, nozondekurona ze wina, omuhona wandje tjinga ama hingi ovita vya Muhona, nu move tjinga amu hi nakumunika ouvi ngunda au nomuinyo. 29 Omundu ngamwa auhe tja sekama okukurwisa na kondjo okukuzepa, Muhona, Ndjambi woye, me ku yama tjimuna omundu tje tjevera otjihuze tje otjiwa. Nungwari imba ovanavita na ove eye meve nakaura tjimuna omundu tje yumba ewe nokangarena. 30 Muhona tji ma yandja ouṋingandu mbwi auhe komuhona wandje, mbwe ku kwizikira, ne ku ziki okurira ombara mOisrael, 31 otji pe hi nokukara otjiputarise komuhona wandje, notjiṋa tji matji mu kendisa wina, kutja wa tirahi ombinḓu ohinandjo nokutja omuhona wandje we ripahera omuini ousemba. Nu Muhona tja yandja ouṋingandu komuhona wandje, zemburuka omukarere woye omukazendu.”
32 David arire tja tja ku Abigail: “Nga hivirikwe Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, ngwe tu hakaenisa ndinondi. 33 Ounongo woye ngau tangwe, na ove omuini ngo hivirikwe kutja ndino we ndji tjaere okurira omuzepe nokurisutisira omuini. 34 Tjimbe tja Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel omunamuinyo, ngwe ndji tjaere okukutjita otjipo, andakuzu ko ndji tjakanenene tjimanga katjape sewa omurumendu umwe pu Nabal nga mependukirwa!” 35 David wa kambura imbi Abigail mbye mu etera, na tja ku ye: “Yaruka nohange koyoye. Tara, ami mbe ku zuvire nu me tjiti otja pu movanga.”
36 Abigail tje ya ku Nabal, eye tjandje wa zepa omukandi omunene moye mbwa yenena kombara. Nabal wa ri mombyarero onene a ṱomavinu, nu Abigail otje he mu tjivisire otjiṋa nga mependukirwa. 37 Nu omuhuka omunene omavinu tji ya piti mu Nabal, omukazendu we we mu serekarerera avihe mbya tjitwa, neye wa ṱomburuma na kukuta otja ewe. 38 Kombunda yomayuva omurongo Muhona wa tona Nabal, neye arire tja koka.
39 Nu David tja zuva kutja Nabal wa ṱu, otja tja nai: “Muhona nga tangwe ngwa sutisa Nabal ohoṋi ndja tjita ku ami, nu ngwa tjaera omukarere we okutjita ouvi. Nungwari ouvi wa Nabal wa yarurwa mu ye omuini.”
Nu David wa hinda ombuze ku Abigail okumuvareka a rire omukazendu we. 40 Novakarere va David ve ya ku Abigail kOkarmel nave tja nai ku ye: “David we tu hindi kove okuyekukupaha u karire omukazendu we.”
41 Nu Abigail wa sekama na u onḓurumika na tja: “Omukarere woye omukazendu eye ngwi, we rirongerere okukoha ozombaze zovakarere womuhona wandje.” 42 Tjazumba Abigail wa hakahana okusekama na kavire kokasino. Novakarere ve ovasuko vetano ve mu ṱika; nu Abigail wa kongorerwa i ovahindwa va David, na karira omukazendu we.
43 David wa kupire Ahinoam ngwa zire kOjesreel; aveyevari otji va rira ovakazendu va David. 44 Nungwari Saul wa yandjere omukazona we Mikal, ngwa kupirwe i David, ku Palti, omuzandu wa Laish, ngwa zire kOgalim, a rire omukazendu we.
